With a general and unsubstantiated cliché that "privatization is an one-way for EYATH” transmitted by the private TV channels - who are the only ones - the Greek government welcomed the news of the retreat of the European Commission and the exclusion of water services from the new Concessions Directive.

After the strong stance of the German public opinion and despite of collusion of the political parties and of course in view of the elections, it seems that the Commission was forced to retreat in the end and to completely exclude water services from the Concessions Directive.

This Directive for many actors of the civil society was a way to facilitate privatization across Europe against the will of most Europeans and fortunately it was averted. Although Commissioner Barnier tried repeatedly to reassure that the Commission does not make these changes in order to proceed with privatizations his statements fell to the void thanks to the good level of awareness of European citizens on the matter. Reading the angry response (below) of AQUAFED, the International Federation of Private Water Providers, to the Commission’s memo, even the most naive understands what was the case and the stakes.